911 Numbers too high

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Elaine - Charlie

Elaine - Charlie

Member Since 2015
Any info on what to do when numbers are too high using a relion micro, tested and the reading has shown as HI which means his number is off the chart :(
Gave 2 units of Lantus at 9pm and just tested again and still reading as HI.
Any info would be great
 
I don't really have any ideas for you, but try posting your question on the Lantus/Levemir board, someone there may be better able to help you. What are his numbers usually like? Do they run high? What was his BG prior to his shot?
 
He was doing fine, numbers around 150, then he got sick, at vets for couple of days, now on antibotics, which vet said could cause numbers to rise, but, the main focus was to have him gain weight. Since being at vet numbers have been 300 or higher and this is the second time the reading has just said HI as too high for meter to give a reading. It read HI before i fed and gace insulin.
 
It amazing how little info there is on the internet for high scores, I did a search on the lantus board, but, nothing came up for too high a score.
Never checked Ketones.
All I know is he woke up and must have been out of it a bit and peed on my bed :(
I put a 911 posting on the Lantus, so, I"ll see if there is anyone awake still :)
Thanks for your help. I beginning to think I"m doing this cat more harm than good :(
 
Purring a lot, which is what he did last time he went off the chart and then in the morning he went all the way down to 130. Then over next couple of days he was in the 200's in the morning and then in the 400-500 in the evening and now this morning he was 490, so, I increased to 2 units from 1 until and now again tonight he's is off the chart.
 
I'm guessing that he will probably be okay until you can give him his next dose, but if you are concerned you should contact an emergency vet in your area. If he seems wobbly or lethargic, or his breath smells like fruit or nail polish remover, you should have him seen ASAP
 
Let's hope so. I regret I can't go to an ER, I"m in California and they won't give any advice over the phone, you'd have to take your pet in and that's $75-$100 JUST to walk in the door.
 
I know the feeling, I'm on the East Coast and it's not much cheaper, here.

Well, since a trip to the vet is out, I think as long as he's acting normally he'll most likely be okay. He's actually safer being too high than he is being too low!
Just in case, here's a link with information about ketones and what to look for/do if they are present. http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/...oacidosis-dka-and-blood-ketone-meters.135952/
I'll be up for a little while longer, keep me updated, please? I'm Lucy, by the way. :)
 
This stray cat that came to my door nearly a year ago, has cost me in the thousands :(
Yeah, I've had the low scare as well, that was another trip to the vet and hospital stay.
There is also other things going on with him, that the vet can't figure out.
He is (we think) a cross between a Devonshire and Cornish Rex, so he already have a thin, lanky look to him and then losing weight, he looks like one of those Halloween Skeleton Cats they were selling in stores !
You'd think the internet would have more about when being High is one thing, but, what to do when it is REALLY high.
I mainly post on the Facebook Pages, less overwhelming than here, all those spread sheets and what not, that I can't make sense of :)
Thanks Lucy for helping and I"m Elaine :)
 
Hi Elaine, welcome to FDMB, the best place you never wanted to be!

Lol, the spreadsheets are nowhere near as involved as they sound. They are actually one of the best tools we have to help treat our kitties properly, and they're also helpful for us to look at when someone has a question or needs help. If there's any way you can manage it, I highly recommend setting one up and using it! :) I had to get someone else to set mine up, apparently the spreadsheet is smarted than me! We can help you get yours set up, if you'd like, and explain to you how they work; it's really just data entry, very basic stuff.

There is a world of knowledge and expertise here, so many experienced people who are willing to share information and help when it's needed! You might decide to give us a try for a little while, and see how you like it! :)

How is Charlie now?
 
I'm going to have to leave you now, it's 4:40 AM here and I need to catch a couple of hours before I'm back up at 7:00 AM to start our diabetic day Will you be okay?

ETA: I can try to find someone else to take my place, if you'd like.
 
He is still purring, so, I think he is still Hyper, as he did that last time his score went off the charts. I"m just worried he is going to wake up and pee on me, so, I"m staying up a while longer and will test him again :)
The spread sheet seems to have people testing every few hours, do they do that Every day ?
I test, feed and shoot, in the am and pm.
Vet gave me dosing instructions, which I don't think most would agree with here, but, it had been working, until the antibiotics and giving the A/D Hills food. Think I"ll have to up the dose to 3 units, beginning to wish I had done that this am and pm, I think he wouldn't have got this high.
 
Thanks for your help, yes, go get some sleep. I'll test him again in a while it's 1.47am here, so, I'll just play solitaire with one eye on my bed to watch for someone needing to go pee :)
 
Oh dear, that Hill's diet is the worst t hing in the world for diabetic cats! It's loaded with carbs, and is basically sawdust. Is he on that in relation to another health issue?
 
I would really enjoy picking this conversation up again tomorrow, maybe I can give you some other food choices. :) Fingers and paws crossed that you and Charlie have an un-eventful night, and that you can have him seen by his own vet, tomorrow!

Good night!

Lucy
 
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I learnt about that quite a while ago, he was on Friskies Pate for the longest. It's only because of his weight loss and him being so skinny to begin with, we were only trying that to build his weight up, at least to get that 1lb back he lost. Vet said it would cause numbers to go higher and add in the Antibotics, but, he'd gone from about 6.5 lbs to 5.1
Vet still has narrowed down what else is going on with him, spent several hundred or more on tests, x-rays etc.
 
Elaine - Charlie said:
Think I"ll have to up the dose to 3 units, beginning to wish I had done that this am and pm, I think he wouldn't have got this high.
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Normally Lantus doses are adjusted in small increments (typically 0.25IU). I STRONGLY recommend that you post on the Lantus board and ask experienced members there for input on dosing before increasing the dose. Between the antibiotics and the a/d food there are a lot of variables moving for your little fella at the moment.

Also, please let them know that Charlie is having trouble controlling his bladder.

Do you have ketone test strips at home (e.g. Keto-diastix)? With infection and high numbers in the mix you really need to be vigilant for ketones. Also, make sure Charlie is getting enough water; dehydration won't help matters any. I also recommend that you let your vet know ASAP that Charlie's not doing as well. Always better to err on the side of caution.


Mogs
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Yeah I posted on Lantus Board, think most are in bed :)
Prior to this his numbers had been fine 150 range, and he was doing well until now.
He hadn't had trouble with his bladder, except for this time and last time he read HI on the relion and then he peed in a dogs bed, thinking it was his litter box and tonight peed on my bed, probably because he was "out of it" so to speak.
Just tested again and still reading HI, but, he seems better, so, perhaps he is at the low end of HI.
Havn't tested for Ketone.
He has plenty of water and will be calling vet as soon as I wake up in the morning.
 
I'm glad that Charlie's feeling a little better and that you're going to have a chat with your vet. You really need to check for ketones ASAP. You can get the test strips at pharmacies (or your vet might want to see Charlie). Keep a check on his breath in the meantime. Some ketones (NB - not ALL) can make the breath smell 'fruity'. When you do test, if you get 'trace' as a result, let your vet know. If it's anything more than 'trace' then Charlie would need immediate veterinary attention.

One of the trickiest parts of insulin therapy is that both too little AND too much insulin can drive numbers higher. You have only recently upped the dose from 1 to 2 units (a big jump). You need to determine how Charlie's responding to the insulin. Again, I strongly recommend that you post a thread asking for dosing advice on the Lantus & Levemir board asking for help from the experienced people there so that they can look at Charlie's numbers for you as a priority. (If you can post dose, preshot and mid-cycle test results for several days that would be a great help.)

The Lantus board is very busy and threads can get pushed down the list fairly quickly. If you put a Question Mark icon next to the thread title, it will attract more attention to your post.

I hope Charlie feels better soon.



Mogs
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Those wide swings in numbers suggest to me the dose may be too high. Getting a test around +5 to +7 hours post-shot will help determine that. You want the lowest number to remain safely above 50 mg/dL on a human meter and above 68 mg/dL on a pet meter.
Lantus is a depot insulin. Its effects build up slowly over 5-7 days on the initial dose and changes can take 3-5 days before you see the effects. If is very important to go carefully and cautiously so you miss the optimal dose. Patience is very important in using it optimally.
 
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